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The Hellboy Universe Comics
The Mike Mignola's Hellboy series was first introduced, along with Hellboy himself, in ''San Diego Comic Con Comics'' #2, published August 1993. As the series has progressed, it has grown to include spin-offs all sharing continuity within the Hellboy Universe. Publication Lines :see also: [[:Category:Story|List of '''Hellboy Universe' stories]]'' :see also: 'Trade Paperback Collections' '' Hellboy :''see also: [[:Category:Hellboy_Story|List of '''Hellboy' stories]]'' The first title, Hellboy, originally followed Hellboy's work within the B.P.R.D., then later Hellboy went solo following the events of Conqueror Worm. The stories have increasingly focused on mythological themes and Hellboy's destiny within the supernatural world. There are usually two kinds of Hellboy stories. Those set before the events of Seed of Destruction tend to be smaller, stand-alone stories and are told out of chronological order. Those set after the events of Seed of Destruction focus prominently on the ongoing Hellboy story and have a clear chronological progression. At first Hellboy was drawn exclusively by Mignola. In 2006, the two-issue Makoma became the first Hellboy story to feature another artist. With Darkness Calls, Mignola passed art duties of the ongoing Hellboy storyline to Duncan Fegredo for an arc that would run through three trade paperbacks. Mignola would still draw the occasional Hellboy story, but the bulk of the art fell on Richard Corben and guest artists such as Jason Shawn Alexander, Scott Hampton and Kevin Nowlan. With the conclusion of The Fury, Mignola will be returning to the series as the ongoing artists for the foreseeable future. ''Abe Sapien :''see also: [[:Category:Abe_Sapien_Story|List of '''Abe Sapien' stories]]'' First appearing in March 1998 (Drums of the Dead), a small number of stories have centered around Abe Sapien's solo missions. From The Drowning onwards, Abe Sapien titles were released in their own trade paperback. Prior stories can be found in the first volume of the B.P.R.D. trades. The first two trades contain stories set prior to Hellboy leaving the Bureau in 2000, however Mike Mignola has said all Abe Sapien stories for the foreseeable future will be set parallel to the events unfolding in B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth. ''Lobster Johnson :''see also: [[:Category:Lobster_Johnson_Story|List of '''Lobster Johnson' stories]]'' Lobster Johnson focuses the pulp adventures of "The Lobster" and his crew as they fight against mad scientists, Nasis and supernatural foes. In August 1998, the Lobster Johnson series made its debut as a backup feature in ''Hellboy: Box Full of Evil'' #1 titled The Killer in My Skull. This story would later be collected in the first volume of the B.P.R.D. trades. In September 2007, the Lobster Johnson series returned with the five-issue miniseries The Iron Prometheus, which would later be the first story to be released in a Lobster Johnson trade paperback. In January 2012, Lobster Johnson returned for a new five-issue miniseries titled The Burning Hand, which takes place at the beginning of The Lobster's career. Writer John Arcudi has said the plan for future Lobster Johnson stories is to continue on chronologically from that point. ''B.P.R.D :''see also: [[:Category:B.P.R.D._Story|List of '''B.P.R.D.' stories]]'' Following Hellboy's departure from the Bureau at the end of Conqueror Worm, B.P.R.D. was spun-off into its own line of comics. B.P.R.D. continued to follow the adventures of established characters like Abe Sapien, Liz Sherman, Roger and Kate Corrigan, but has also introduced new characters like Johann Krauss, Ben Daimio and Panya. The first 3 page ''B.P.R.D.'' story was published from December 2001 to February 2002 in Dark Horse Extra. For a time B.P.R.D. showcased rotating writers and artists writing stand-alone stories. When Mike Mignola wrote the five-issue miniseries Plague of Frogs, he began an ongoing storyline. This storyline was picked up by John Arcudi in The Dead, and he has done the bulk of the writing ever since, with Mike Mignola directing the big-picture and Guy Davis working as the ongoing artist. While the format of B.P.R.D. remains as miniseries and one-shots, at least one new issue was published every month from March 2007 to May 2010. The fifteenth volume, B.P.R.D.: Being Human, bears no number on its spine to avoid confusion as the older trades go out of print to be replaced by omnibus editions. It is currently the only unnumbered B.P.R.D. volume. 'Plague of Frogs' :see also: [[:Category:B.P.R.D._Plague_of_Frogs_Story|List of '''B.P.R.D. Plague of Frogs' stories]]'' :see also: Plague of Frogs (Story Cycle) The B.P.R.D trade paperbacks dealing with the ongoing frog war were retroactively retitled B.P.R.D. Plague of Frogs following the anouncement of B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth and collected in omnibus editions. As each omnibus volume is released, the trades it collects are taken out of print. '1946-1948' :see also: [[:Category:B.P.R.D._1940s_Story|List of '''B.P.R.D. 1940s' stories]]'' There have been stories set in the early days of the B.P.R.D.; two five-issue miniseries and two short stories with a third and final miniseries planned for the near future. These stories do not form a part of the Plague of Frogs cycle and it remains to be seen whether they will be collected in an omnibus edition of their own. ''Hell on Earth :''see also: [[:Category:B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth Story|List of '''B.P.R.D Hell on Earth' stories]]'' :see also: Hell on Earth (Story Cycle) This title is an extention of the original B.P.R.D. titles, continuing where King of Fear left off. Seattle was the last story with Guy Davis as the ongoing artist. Newcomer Tyler Crook took over beginning with the miniseries Monsters. Hell on Earth is a far more sprawling series that the previous B.P.R.D. stories, making it necessary to have numerous artists working on the series. In addition to Tyler Crook as the ongoing artist, James Harren and Jason Latour will also be working regularly on the series, with the addition of others in the future. The series is currently being released at a rate of two issues a month, though each individual story is still being released on a monthly basis. ''Sir Edward Grey, Witchfinder ''Witchfinder (the much shorter, common name) depicts the adventures of Occult Detective Sir Edward Grey. Grey was first mentioned in Hellboy: Wake the Devil and since then has had a number of relatively minor appearances in various Hellboy comics, sometimes appearing as a cloaked figure wearing a mask. Grey's was featured prominently in the first issue of Abe Sapien: The Drowning and later that same year the Witchfinder series made its first appearance with its debut story, the eight-page Murderous Intent. There have since been two five-issue miniseries. A third and final miniseries is planned, but it has been shelved for the present as Mike Mignola is busy with other stories and it is not one that needs to be told just yet. ''Others Scott Allie and Mike Mignola have both mentioned the possibility of other series. The stories ''Baba Yaga's Feast and How Koshchei Became Deathless have remained uncollected because they do not fit with any of the current titles, although Scott Allie has stated there is a long term plan for them. The upcoming Hellboy in Hell will be a departure for the Hellboy comics in that it will not be a miniseries or one-shot, nor will it continue the internal numbering. Instead Hellboy in Hell will be an ongoing comic with irregular release dates starting its numbering at #1. What this means for the trade paperbacks remains to be seen, but it's possible it may become its own series with its own numbering much like B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth did. Story Publication Timeline This chart records the first time a stories was published in the Hellboy Universe. It does not list every time a story was published, nor where the story was published. For that and other information see the articles on individual stories. Titles with a '#' before the number denote actual issue numbers. Numbers without a '#' are part numbers, within some other larger publication. Titles followed by an 'E' denote an expanded version of the story, or a new epilogue, generally as reprinted in a TPB. Internal Numbering Hellboy and its associated titles (with the exception of Hellboy in Hell) have never existed as ongoing monthly issues, however, in addition to numbers within a given mini-series, issues are also given an overall series number on the inside cover. Hellboy #''Seed of Destruction'' #1 #''Seed of Destruction'' #2 #''Seed of Destruction'' #3 #''Seed of Destruction'' #4 #''The Wolves of Saint August'' #''The Corpse and the Iron Shoes'' #''Wake the Devil'' #1 #''Wake the Devil'' #2 #''Wake the Devil'' #3 #''Wake the Devil'' #4 #''Wake the Devil'' #5 #''Almost Colossus'' #1 #''Almost Colossus'' #2 #''Christmas Special'' #''Box Full of Evil'' #1 #''Box Full of Evil'' #2 #''Conqueror Worm'' #1 #''Conqueror Worm'' #2 #''Conqueror Worm'' #3 #''Conqueror Worm'' #4 #''The Third Wish'' #1 #''The Third Wish'' #2 #''The Island'' #1 #''The Island'' #2 #''Makoma'' #1 #''Makoma'' #2 #''Darkness Calls'' #1 #''Darkness Calls'' #2 #''Darkness Calls'' #3 #''Darkness Calls'' #4 #''Darkness Calls'' #5 #''Darkness Calls'' #6 #''The Crooked Man'' #1 #''The Crooked Man'' #2 #''The Crooked Man'' #3 #''In the Chapel of Moloch'' #''The Wild Hunt'' #1 #''The Wild Hunt'' #2 #''The Wild Hunt'' #3 #''The Wild Hunt'' #4 #''The Wild Hunt'' #5 #''The Wild Hunt'' #6 #''The Wild Hunt'' #7 #''The Wild Hunt'' #8 #''The Bride of Hell'' #''Hellboy in Mexico'' #''The Storm'' #1 #''The Storm'' #2 #''The Storm'' #3 #''Double Feature of Evil'' #''The Sleeping and the Dead'' #1 #''The Sleeping and the Dead'' #2 #''Buster Oakley Gets His Wish'' #''Being Human'' #''The Fury'' #1 #''The Fury'' #2 #''The Fury'' #3 B.P.R.D. #''Hollow Earth'' #1 #''Hollow Earth'' #2 #''Hollow Earth'' #3 #''The Soul of Venice'' #''Dark Waters'' #''Night Train'' #''There's Something Under My Bed'' #''Plague of Frogs'' #1 #''Plague of Frogs'' #2 #''Plague of Frogs'' #3 #''Plague of Frogs'' #4 #''Plague of Frogs'' #5 #''The Dead'' #1 #''The Dead'' #2 #''The Dead'' #3 #''The Dead'' #4 #''The Dead'' #5 #''The Black Flame'' #1 #''The Black Flame'' #2 #''The Black Flame'' #3 #''The Black Flame'' #4 #''The Black Flame'' #5 #''The Black Flame'' #6 #''The Universal Machine'' #1 #''The Universal Machine'' #2 #''The Universal Machine'' #3 #''The Universal Machine'' #4 #''The Universal Machine'' #5 #''Garden of Souls'' #1 #''Garden of Souls'' #2 #''Garden of Souls'' #3 #''Garden of Souls'' #4 #''Garden of Souls'' #5 #''Killing Ground'' #1 #''Killing Ground'' #2 #''Killing Ground'' #3 #''Killing Ground'' #4 #''Killing Ground'' #5 #''1946'' #1 #''1946'' #2 #''1946'' #3 #''1946'' #4 #''1946'' #5 #''War On Frogs'' #1 #''The Ectoplasmic Man'' #''The Warning'' #1 #''The Warning'' #2 #''The Warning'' #3 #''The Warning'' #4 #''The Warning'' #5 #''War On Frogs'' #2 #''The Black Goddess'' #1 #''The Black Goddess'' #2 #''The Black Goddess'' #3 #''The Black Goddess'' #4 #''The Black Goddess'' #5 #''War On Frogs'' #3 #''1947'' #1 #''1947'' #2 #''1947'' #3 #''1947'' #4 #''1947'' #5 #''War On Frogs'' #4 #''King of Fear'' #1 #''King of Fear'' #2 #''King of Fear'' #3 #''King of Fear'' #4 #''King of Fear'' #5 #''Hell on Earth: New World'' #1 #''Hell on Earth: New World'' #2 #''Hell on Earth: New World'' #3 #''Hell on Earth: New World'' #4 #''Hell on Earth: New World'' #5 #''Hell on Earth: Gods'' #1 #''Hell on Earth: Gods'' #2 #''Hell on Earth: Gods'' #3 #''The Dead Remembered'' #1 #''The Dead Remembered'' #2 #''The Dead Remembered'' #3 #''Hell on Earth: Monsters'' #1 #''Hell on Earth: Monsters'' #2 #''Hell on Earth: Russia'' #1 #''Hell on Earth: Russia'' #2 #''Hell on Earth: Russia'' #3 #''Hell on Earth: Russia'' #4 #''Hell on Earth: Russia'' #5 #''Hell on Earth: The Long Death'' #1 #''Hell on Earth: The Long Death'' #2 #''Hell on Earth: The Pickens County Horror'' #1 #''Hell on Earth: The Long Death'' #3 #''Hell on Earth: The Pickens County Horror'' #2 #''Hell on Earth: The Devil's Engine'' #1 #''Hell on Earth: The Transformation of J.H. O'Donnell'' #''Hell on Earth: The Devil's Engine'' #2 #''Hell on Earth: Exorcism'' #1 #''Hell on Earth: The Devil's Engine'' #3 #''Hell on Earth: Exorcism'' #2 Abe Sapien #''The Drowning'' #1 #''The Drowning'' #2 #''The Drowning'' #3 #''The Drowning'' #4 #''The Drowning'' #5 #''The Haunted Boy'' #''The Abyssal Plain'' #1 #''The Abyssal Plain'' #2 #''The Devil Does Not Jest'' #1 #''The Devil Does Not Jest'' #2 Lobster Johnson #''The Iron Prometheus'' #1 #''The Iron Prometheus'' #2 #''The Iron Prometheus'' #3 #''The Iron Prometheus'' #4 #''The Iron Prometheus'' #5 #''The Burning Hand'' #1 #''The Burning Hand'' #2 #''The Burning Hand'' #3 #''The Burning Hand'' #4 #''The Burning Hand'' #5 Sir Edward Grey, Witchfinder #''In the Service of Angels'' #1 #''In the Service of Angels'' #2 #''In the Service of Angels'' #3 #''In the Service of Angels'' #4 #''In the Service of Angels'' #5 #''Lost and Gone Forever'' #1 #''Lost and Gone Forever'' #2 #''Lost and Gone Forever'' #3 #''Lost and Gone Forever'' #4 #''Lost and Gone Forever'' #5 Stories Out of Continuity A number stories have featured Hellboy and related characters but are generally not considered to be part of the main Hellboy Canon. Such stories include; * Numerous Hellboy guest appearances in other comics including; ** John Byrne's Next Men #21 (Dec 1993) ** Danger Unlimited #4 (May 1994) a 2 panel cameo ** Savage Dragon #34-35 (Dec 1996, Feb 1997) ** Painkiller Jane/Hellboy (Aug 1998) ** Batman Hellboy Starman #1-2 (Jan-Feb 1999) ** The Goon #7 (Jun 2004) ** Ghost/Hellboy Special #1-2 (May-Jun 2005) ** Hellboy/Beasts of Burden: Sacrifice (Oct 2010) * Hellboy Junior (Oct 1997, Oct-Nov 1999) showing the (mis)adventures of a Hellboy still in Hell before coming to earth * The Astromagnet (2002) a short story created as a promo for Hellboy Sourcebook and Role Playing Game * The Kabandha (Aug 2002) a short story printed in Hellboy Sourcebook and Role Playing Game''Scott Allie stated that neither "The Astromagnet" nor "The Kabandha" are cannon in the January B.P.R.D. member email * ''Hellboy: Weird Tales #1-8 (Feb 2003 to Apr 2004, every two months) a collection of other writers' takes on Hellboy * Hellboy Animated comics (Oct 2006-Dec 2007) further expanding the Hellboy Animated world * Hellboy: The Golden Army (Jan 2008) a promotional tie-in for Hellboy II: The Golden Army It is occasionally unclear whether a story should be considered in Canon. However, as a general rule, stories reprinted in a normal Hellboy or related Trade Paperback can safely be seen as within continuity, while those not reprinted, or reprinted in some other way can be assumed outside of continuity. Notes Category:Comics